Roti Canai is a popular Malaysian style fried bread similar to our Kerala style Parotta. Flour, eggs, milk and loads of fat mainly ghee or margarine is used to give a flaky texture. The process is similar to our Parotta but with extra ingredients which alters the taste and texture. Another popular version from Singapore is called Roti Prata, similar ingredients and process except for the folding. Roti refers to bread in Malay. Wiki has some interesting facts about the term “Canai” or pronounce “Chan nai” check it out roti canai
Before you start, please red this
- Roti canai is flat bread often has many variations depending on the region.
- Shaped either round or square.
- Comes with or without filling.
- Some dough includes egg. Dough without egg yields crispy roti and with egg version yields richer taste and soft rotis.
- Don’t get alarmed by the quantity of oil which is liberally used in this recipe to lubricate the dough and to make the dough stretch easily.
- Soaking the dough for few hours helps to make soft stretchy dough.
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| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 3 cups | Maida / Plain Flour / Bleached All purpose / Refined Flour |
| 1 teaspoon | Salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Sugar |
| 1 | Egg |
| 2 tablespoons | Ghee / margarine (room temperature) |
| 1/2 cup | Milk |
| 1/2 cup | Water |
| 2 teaspoons | Ghee or margarine or vanaspathi (for rubbing) |
| 15 teaspoons | Oil (for spreading and toasting) |
Sieve Maida and salt, mix sugar in warm milk, cream the margarine. Now start mixing everything together including egg, gradually adding water, gather to form a thick dough. Knead for 15 minutes adding few drops of oil to make it elastic and soft.
Pinch the dough to make small portions, roll between your palm to form a soft ball.
Stretch out the dough either pulling from sides or using a rolling pin. Professionals flip in the air in circular motion, but needs lot of practice. Just use a regular rolling pin to start with and roll out. We need a very thin transparent sheet of dough. It would tear, but its OK… keep stretching as much as possible. Pour a drop of oil in the center and spreading all over the sheet.
Gather from both sides to form a long rope like structure and start rolling from one corner and seal the end.
This is how it should look like, when done.
Repeat the process for the rest of the dough, brush with oil, cover the dough buds with a soft cloth until its ready for frying.
If its possible press and rotate with your palm to stretch like a parotta. This technique needs lot of practice, so better gently roll out using a rolling pin.
Heat a iron griddle (we need medium high heat), place the parotta and fry this side for 30 seconds.
Flip to the other, fry for another 30 seconds. Pour few drops of oil from the sides of the griddle, this should make them sizzle and puff up slightly.
Flip again and brown them evenly and voila!! Remove and place on the kitchen counter and tap it from both corner while its still hot to make its loose and fluffy. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough buds.
Non veg gravy that suits roti prata/ roti canai….. Chicken stew , Chicken Kurma, Chicken Kuzhambu, Kozhi Kuzhambu, Egg Salna, Chicken Salna, Kothu Kari Kuzhambu, Mutton Curry, Mutton Kurma
Veg gravy that suits this dish… Vegetarian Chalna, Side gravy, Hotel Kurma
Notes
- Makes 12 ( 4″ each diameter)
- In Malaysia, this recipe is purely made with margarine, its OK to substitute with ghee/oil/vanaspathi.
- All- purpose works but the prata texture differs. Double refined or bleached flour works well.
- Check out the video for styling the Parotta here which might be helpful for this preparation.
16 Comments
Roti canai is a popular dish in Malaysia that is most likely inspired by Indian flatbread.
Hi Mullai
I have been a member of ur site for a long time… but never made anything from it yet. will be trying now. I would like to know what I can substitute egg with here. My hubby doesnt prefer egg… So I want to make this without egg… Please advice. Thanks and regards
Hi gem, roti canai is similar to our parotta except for the egg. So try that, here is the link
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/parotta
prathibaananth I like your site and i like to learn Indian food and new food. thanks this site is rocking. keep it up.
I like your site and i like to learn Indian food.
But unfortunately i cant see the picture of how to make food.
on the pictures write LOGIN TO SEE THE PICTURE and REGISTER FREE.
I register but i can’t see the pictures.
Please help me .
Thanks
I made this dought and i flattend it in the ordinary poratha making process..thts y i think when i made the long rope like stucture it broke like in the video urs dint break….Anyways the recipe was really nice thank you.
Hi Mullai,
Did this today along with paneer butter masala, both came out well. My hubby enjoyed this paratha and appreciated me, all praises goes to you Mullai. You are doing such a fantastic job!! ThanQ.
Mercy
HI
this receipe is similar to ordinary parotta we have to add egg.
I want to know that we have to add both yellow and white part of the egg.
You need to add 1 whole egg. (both white and yellow)
Again superb pics… Kalakerenga….. I have seen them folding from all four sides after stretching the dough as much as possible. Then make it into circular shape. In Singapore we get nice circular shape roti cannai. But, here we get a kindda square shape at shops :):):)
For the egg roti cannai they pour egg on the stretched roti & fold from all four sides… Anyways nice presentation as usual.
There are few kindda roti cannai. You can post them too mam.
Sardine Roti Cannai: They beat Sardine with egg and spread on the stretched roti, fold it from all sides, press well & toast it.
Banana Roti Cannai: They cut banana into 1/2 cm thick circular pieces, add sugar – margarine – banana on the stretched roti, fold it from all sides, press well & toast it.
Meat (Thick curry) also can be beaten with egg & used to make Roti cannai as Sardine Roti Cannai. It tastes like Murtabak Chicken here. Can check this link for pic!!!
I dont know whats different in singapore – roti cannai. It tastes awesome… :):):)
Manoo,
Singapore roti prata actually taste similar to your ceylon parotta with minced meat. Usually for ceylon parotta, its first dipped in egg mixuture and fried and then topped with minced meat. In Singaporian style they pour the egg mixture inside the parotta, stuff with meat, folded like a square and then its toasted. Texture and taste varies depending on what they add. BTW, not a big fan of Sardines.. so suggest you to go ahead and try keeping this recipe as a base. All you need is a clue and you have it!! use your imagination and alter to suit your taste.
Thanks,
Mullai.
wonderful pics…
Mullai,
Pictures looks yummy and instructions are very good, not sure if amateurs like me try this and get the same result. Anyway I will give a try and see ( As a backup I will keep Chappathi flour) in case I mess up to make up the meal.
Regs
Jaya Lakshmi
OKAY
I have decided to make this for dinner, my dough is ready and is in the 2 hr waiting period. My Paneer butter masala ( exactly same as your recipe) turned out to be YUMMY !!!, Just hoping that this roti will come perfectly. Even if i don;t get a perfect shape, I think i will make it.
Thank you.
Regs
Jaya
Hi Mullai
One of my friends from Malaysia was asking for this dish for a long time. Good that you have posted it now.
Do you happen to know the recipe for Sweet Idly. IT is a karnataka dish i think. IT has rice flour and seasoned with cashews. If you know the recipe can you please post it.
Thanks
Uma
The rolled dough looks so thin, Mullai… Your sincere work always tempts to prepare that…